South Grafton Elementary School

Our Facebook and Instagram (@s.g.elementary) accounts are up and running! I will spend the next few weeks loading photos from this year.

To streamline communication and allow you to engage at your own interest level:

• Family newsletters will ONLY be used for updates and important information




• Social media will be used for photos of all the great learning and excitement happening at SGES

I don't love fluff email so hopefully this keeps your inbox clutter free. My hope is that you tune into the newsletters regularly and check out our photos as much or as little as you'd like to!

I would also like to start sending very brief text message reminders to caregivers anytime we have an event or important date coming up (i.e. picture day, school celebrations, spirit days, etc).

My thought is to send the messages the day before.

If I receive feedback that these messages are not helpful, I will discontinue them. But the families I have spoken with so far think it will be a big help for those busy evenings and mornings! 🤞

I will also send a text when a new newsletter lands in your inbox, since they are only sent when pressing news comes up. Thank you for your partnership!

Dear SGES Families,

It is that time of year again when I start my state mandated health screenings for the students.

The following are the screenings that are done for each grade:

• 1st Grade- Height, Weight, Vision, Hearing
• Kindergarten-Vision and Hearing
• Pre K- Vision

If you wish for your child not to participate in any of the screenings, please send me a note that includes your child’s name, grade, and date by Thursday, November 12th. Thank you very much!

Jeanine DeMelo BSN, RN, NSNC

demeloj@grafton.k12.ma.us

In order to improve our dismissal process, we would like to ask families for cooperation with the following:

• If you need to dismiss your student before the end of the school day, please arrive by 3 PM. Dismissing students between 3 PM - 3:20 PM impacts our buses and dismissal in general. If you arrive after 3 PM, please join the parent pickup line.

• We also ask that any changes to a student's dismissal are requested before 2:30 PM. This will allow our front office enough time to inform everyone involved.

Thank you in advance for your support! A more efficient front office will bring fewer errors, which will be a benefit to all 🙏

Please join us in celebrating World Kindness Day on Friday, November 13th by sending your students to school in Grafton Green!

• 11/11 - Veterans Day, No School
• 11/12 - SGPTO at MSES 6 PM - 7 PM
• 11/13 - World Kindness Day, Wear Your Grafton Green!
• 11/20 - No Preschool
• 11/24 - Fall Parties and Wear Your Turkey Attire!
• 11/25-11/27 Thanksgiving Break, No School

https://airtable.com/appa6hA6yu2Prfw5D/pagdW7Rz7KS6MrbQO/form

This week:

• 10/27 - Picture Retake Day at 10:30
• 10/30 - Literacy Costume Walk

Near Future:

• 11/2-11/6 Book Fair
• 11/2 Parent Teacher-Conferences 5PM - 7PM
• 11/3 - Parent Teacher-Conferences 8AM - 3PM
• 11/11 - Veterans Day, No School
• 11/12 - SGPTO at MSES
• 11/13 - World Kindness Day
• 11/20 - No Preschool
• 11/24 - Fall Parties and Wear Your Turkey Attire!
• 11/25-11/27 Thanksgiving Break, No School

SGES has the opportunity to be periodically visited by therapy dogs under the supervision of staff. All therapy dogs are up to date on all necessary vaccinations and certifications.

Therapy dogs provide many benefits. They...

• Help children learn compassion, empathy, responsibility, respect, and self-discipline
• Offer comfort and non-judgmental love
• Can decrease anxiety levels and increase emotional security

Please complete and return this Google Form BEFORE NOVEMBER 3RD if you DO NOT WANT your child to interact with therapy dogs. Not submitting the Google Form implies permission for your child to spend time with the dog.

If you have any questions or concerns, please call the main office. Thank you!

We are excited to bring our favorite books to life with our annual Literacy Walk this Friday, October 30th!

Students are encouraged to bring a costume of a beloved story character and the matching book in their backpack.

They will have an opportunity to put on their costumes and walk around the outside of school to show off their book and outfit.

Students will then change back into their school clothes at the end of the celebration.

• AM Preschool, Full Day Preschool, Kindergarten, & First Grade: 10:00 AM

• PM Preschool: 1:30 PM (Please arrive promptly. This parade will be much quicker and we don't want you to miss it)

Note for Families:

I will be attending a conference with district leaders this day, but we are in wonderful hands!

Former long-term North Grafton Elementary Principal, Julie Flynn, will be on site to ensure a smooth, exciting event for all our young readers.

Below is a map of our school campus:

• The GREEN ARROWS show the route that students will walk for TWO LAPS

• The YELLOW HEXAGONS show where cones will be located; cars will not be permitted to pass through these entrances

Families are welcome to gather anywhere along the green arrows beginning at 9:30 AM to cheer on our readers and take photos as they march with their books.

Please be mindful of our neighbors and avoid parking on anyone's lawn or in front of driveways.

Thank you in advance for your collaboration. We look forward to seeing all the creative costumes and celebrating a love of reading together!

This year, our parent-teacher conferences are being held on:

• November 2nd from 5 PM - 7 PM
• November 3rd from 9AM - 3 PM

These in-person meetings are a valuable opportunity to hear about your child's progress and academic accomplishments.

We strongly urge every family to participate, as working together creates the best foundation for a successful school year.

Please use THIS LINK to sign up for a 15 minute conference with any South Grafton teacher that works with your child.

Thank you and we look forward to meeting with you!

We are excited to host our annual Scholastic Book Fair between Monday, November 2nd to Friday, November 6th!

This book fair is a South Grafton Parent Teacher Organization fundraiser.

Classroom shopping schedule:

• Monday: Gina Mahoney, Dorazio, Dietel, Cosman, Vulter
• Wednesday: Crossen, Hamilton, Bruso, Sabourin, Sutton, Cassano-Vigdor
• Thursday: Steen
• Friday: Buckley

Additional opportunities to shop:

• During parent-teacher conferences, which are Monday 11/2 from 5-7 PM and Tuesday 11/3 from 9 AM-3 PM
• You can also shop online by scanning the QR CODE ABOVE or by visiting THIS LINK. Purchasing online will still earn rewards for the school.

Acceptable forms of payment:

• Cash
• Credit card
• Checks made out to SG-PTO
• eWallet

Additional information about payment options, how to volunteer, and teacher wish lists can be found in THIS FLYER.

Such a great day here at South Grafton Elementary!

Please check out some snapshots from the day; your kids are rockstars!

We held our second kindergarten and grade 1 assembly this morning. Students sang songs and were recognized for outstanding behavior!

Kindergarten and first graders also participated in Lacrosse Fitness Friday, where they practiced teamwork, sportsmanship, and lacrosse skills.

Thank you, Grafton Lacrosse, for extending this opportunity to our students!

Staff honored International Rett Syndrome Awareness Day and Kabuki Syndrome Awareness Day with green and purple attire and special classroom activities!

We are excited to host our annual Scholastic Book Fair between Monday, November 2nd to Friday, November 6th!

This book fair is a South Grafton Parent Teacher Organization fundraiser.

Classroom shopping schedule:

• Monday: Gina Mahoney, Dorazio, Dietel, Cosman, Vulter
• Wednesday: Crossen, Hamilton, Bruso, Sabourin, Sutton, Cassano-Vigdor
• Thursday: Steen
• Friday: Buckley

Additional opportunities to shop:

• During parent-teacher conferences, which are Monday 11/2 from 5-7 PM and Tuesday 11/3 from 9 AM-3 PM
• You can also shop online by scanning the QR CODE ABOVE or by visiting THIS LINK. Purchasing online will still earn rewards for the school.

Acceptable forms of payment:

• Cash
• Credit card
• Checks made out to SG-PTO
• eWallet

Additional information about payment options, how to volunteer, and teacher wish lists can be found in THIS FLYER.

Tomorrow (Wednesday, October 21) is a half day.

Quick reminders:

• There is no afternoon preschool
• Morning and full day preschool will dismiss at 11:30
• Kindergarten and grade 1 will dismiss at 11:50
• Lunch will not be served unless it is ordered in advance (please note that students who opt-in to lunch will leave class during instruction to eat in the cafeteria)

When dropping off or picking up your child(ren), please be aware of the following:

• Students will be loaded or unloaded 4-5 cars at a time

• Please WAIT in your car until a staff member is ready to receive or release your student; do not exit an idling car and approach the pick up/drop off area on foot

• Pull up as far as you can when the line is moving so we can help as many cars as possible

• Refrain from passing any cars that are in line ahead of you, as this creates unsafe conditions for students exiting or entering their vehicles

Thank you for helping us keep arrival and dismissal as safe and efficient as possible!

I would like to extend an ENORMOUS THANK YOU to the SG-PTO and all the volunteers, planners, sponsors, donors, custodial staff, and participants who made Octoberfest a success this year.

Despite the chilly day, we had an amazing turnout and families had a ton of fun.

Thank you for continuing to support South Grafton Elementary and Millbury Street School; your generosity is making a world of difference for our students.

Throughout the year, we’ll share updates on the amazing opportunities our students get to experience thanks to your support 🙏

Sign up using the QR code below or by clicking THIS LINK.

• 10/21 - Early Dismissal
• 10/23 - Lacrosse Fitness Friday*
• 10/27 - Picture Retake Day at 10:30
• 10/30 - Literacy Costume Walk*
• 11/2-11/6 Book Fair
• 11/2 Parent Teacher-Conferences 5PM - 7PM*
• 11/3 - Parent Teacher-Conferences 8AM - 3PM*
• 11/11 - Veterans Day, No School
• 11/12 - SGPTO at MSES
• 11/13 - World Kindness Day
• 11/20 - No Preschool
• 11/24 - Fall Parties and Wear Your Turkey Attire!
• 11/25-11/27 Thanksgiving Break, No School

*Please scroll down to last week's newsletter for previously-shared information about these events

This year, our parent-teacher conferences are being held on:

• November 2nd from 5 PM - 7 PM
• November 3rd from 9AM - 3 PM

These in-person meetings are a valuable opportunity to hear about your child's progress and academic accomplishments.

We strongly urge every family to participate, as working together creates the best foundation for a successful school year.

Please use THIS LINK to sign up for a 15 minute conference with any South Grafton teacher that works with your child.

Thank you and we look forward to meeting with you!

We are excited to bring our favorite books to life with our annual Literacy Walk on Friday, October 30th!

Students are encouraged to bring a costume of a beloved story character and the matching book in their backpack. They will have an opportunity to put on their costumes and walk around the outside of school to show off their book and outfit. Students will then change back into their school clothes at the end of the celebration.

Families are warmly welcome to gather outside to cheer on our readers and take photos as they march with their books. I will send additional information on the best places to stand as the event gets closer.

Please be mindful of our neighbors and avoid parking on anyone's lawn or in front of driveways. Thank you in advance for your collaboration!

Literacy Walk Schedule:

• AM Preschool, Full Day Preschool, Kindergarten, & First Grade: 10:00 AM

• PM Preschool: 1:30 PM (Please arrive promptly. This parade will be much quicker and we don't want you to miss it)

Note for Families: I will be attending a conference with district leaders this day, but we are in wonderful hands! Former long-term North Grafton Elementary Principal, Julie Flynn, will be on site to ensure a smooth, exciting event for all our young readers.

We look forward to seeing all the creative costumes and celebrating a love of reading together!

On Friday, October 23rd our Kindergarten and First Grade students will participate in "Lacrosse Fitness Friday" with Grafton Youth Lacrosse.

Classes will spend 30 minutes with the Grafton lacrosse coach and a few high school players to practice skills and fun games. Please send your students in comfortable clothing and sneakers!

We will offer another Lacrosse Fitness Friday in the Spring.

🙏 Thank you, Grafton Lacrosse, for volunteering your time to support our students! 🙏

• 10/16 - No Preschool
• 10/17 - Octoberfest 10 AM - 3 PM here at SGES
• 10/21 - Early Dismissal
• 10/23 - Lacrosse Fitness Friday
• 10/27 - Picture Retake Day at 10:30
• 10/30 - Literacy Costume Walk

• 11/2-11/6 Book Fair
• 11/2 Parent Teacher Conferences 5PM - 7PM
• 11/3 - Parent Teacher Conferences 8AM - 3PM
• 11/11 - Veterans Day, No School
• 11/12 - SGPTO at MSES
• 11/13 - World Kindness Day
• 11/20 - No Preschool
• 11/24 - Fall Parties and Wear Your Turkey Attire!
• 11/25-11/27 Thanksgiving Break, No School

Tomorrow is World Smile Day!

If possible, please send students in yellow or anything with a smile on it.

We apologize for the short notice!

Click the image below to see the full report of SGES's water testing.

All results were at or below the LCR Lead or Copper Action Level

• 10/6 - SGPTO Meeting 6:00 pm (SGES)
• 10/12 - Indigenous Peoples’ Day - No School
• 10/13 - School Picture Day (flyer below)
• 10/17 - Octoberfest
• 10/21 - Early Dismissal
• 10/30 - Literacy Walk with Favorite Character Costumes (10 AM for kindergarten, grade 1, morning preschool and full day preschool. Time TBD for afternoon preschool)

I will be filling in as secretary this week.

Please leave a voicemail if I'm unable to answer the phone and continue to email me (kesslermarcosj@grafton.k12.ma.us) with any changes. I will do my best to get back to you when needed.

Thank you in advance for your patience and grace 🙏

• 9/29 - Bus Evacuation Drills
• 10/6 - SGPTO Meeting 6:00 pm (SGES)
• 10/12 - Indigenous Peoples’ Day - No School
• 10/13 - School Picture Day
• 10/17 - Octoberfest
• 10/21 - Early Dismissal
• 10/30 - Literacy Walk with Favorite Character Costumes

Last Friday we held our first K+1 assembly of the year.

Students did a great job following assembly expectations, singing and signing together, and building community!

Please give your children an extra hug for a job well done.

Hello families! I wanted to share a quick reminder of the SGES health policy.

Please review these important health office guidelines:

• When to Stay Home: Keep your child home if they have a fever (100.0°F or higher), vomiting, or diarrhea. They must be symptom-free for 24 hours without fever reducing medicine before returning. If your child requires antibiotics for an infection, such as Strep throat or Pink eye, please be aware that your child may return to school after 24 hours of starting the antibiotic.

• Contact: Reach me at 508-839-5484 ext. 2 or demeloj@grafton.k2.ma.us if your child has a new medical condition.

• Communication: Please communicate with me as well if your child is ill or sustained a significant injury.

I hope everyone has a wonderful week!

We hope everyone had a beautiful weekend 🍁

I wanted to take a moment to thank you for the wonderful turnout we had for Open House / Know Your School Night on the 15th. The building was bustling with smiling students and families; it was such a fun evening!

I hope your little ones went to bed with empty energy tanks and their hearts full 🫶

Until we have a 100% updated photo permissions list, I will blur all faces and heads in the photos I post.

This week's photo dump highlights beginning-of-year creativity, collaboration, and skill building, including using a computer mouse for the first time!

If you see your child in a picture and would like a copy of the original, please send me an email at kesslermarcosj@grafton.k12.ma.us and I'll send it on over.

• 9/23 - Early Dismissal (PreK @ 11:30, K+1 @ 11:50, No PM PreK)
• 9/29 - Bus Evacuation Drills
• 10/6 - SGPTO Meeting 6:00 pm (SGES)
• 10/12 - Indigenous Peoples’ Day - No School
• 10/13 - School Picture Day
• 10/17 - Octoberfest
• 10/21 - Early Dismissal
• 10/30 - Literacy Walk with Favorite Character Costumes

The Grafton Public Schools Annual Demographic Update is now officially open. All district families are asked to log in to their parent portal account to review, update, and verify student records for the upcoming school year.

What You Can Update

• Emergency and routine contact information

• Home and mailing addresses

• Student health and medical information

How to Complete the Form

1. Visit the PowerSchool Parent Portal.

2. Log in to your account and select the Annual Demographic Update form.

3. Review, complete, and submit the required fields for each student in your family.

Need Assistance?

If you experience any login or technical issues with your parent portal account, please reach out to techsupport@grafton.k12.ma.us for assistance.

As a reminder to all families whose children stay for preschool lunch, please inform us of any and all food restrictions as soon as possible.

Advanced notice will help us ensure that your child doesn’t accidentally eat restricted food.

Thank you in advance for your collaboration!

Join us for this upcoming workshop opportunity!

Sign up using the QR code below or by clicking THIS LINK.

We are seeking a community member to join our School Advisory Council!

The School Advisory Council is a collaborative group made up of the principal, teachers, school staff, parents, and community members.

Its main purpose is to advise the principal and assist in shaping the school's educational goals and improvement strategies.

If you are interested in joining as our community member representative, please email me at kesslermarcosj@grafton.k12.ma.us. Thank you!

We are delighted to invite you to Know Your School Night / Open House on September 15th!

The front doors will open at 5:00 PM and families are welcome to pop into classrooms and learning spaces until 6:00 PM.

Kindergarteners and first graders are welcome to join; please find alternate care for preschoolers.

Please keep in mind that the evening is not a parent-teacher conference, so please refrain from inquiring about your child's progress during the event. If you have any concerns or wish to discuss your child's performance, please email your child's teacher to schedule a separate meeting.

I will be stationed at the front door and I look forward to welcoming you to a fun evening!

We had two fire drills this week; one internally on Wednesday and one with the fire department this morning.

Both fire drills were a huge success! Students and adults did a great job exiting the building quickly and safely.

Please congratulate your students this weekend on a job well done!

Please join us for our PTO's Back to School Picnic!

Here are the menus to the food trucks joining for the event:

• Italian Street Food Food Menu | birdsnest
• Mike and Ant's Ice Cream Truck | Ice Cream Truck Massachusetts

I look forward to seeing you there!

Starting Monday, September 14th, the lower portion of George Hill Road (between Upton/Leland Street and Stowe Road) will be closed to through traffic. An image of the closure is included below. This will impact the bus 12 route.

For parents living in the closed section of George Hill, please walk your children to either the intersection of Stowe and George Hill OR Leland and George Hill. The bus will stop at both ends of the closed section.

Please also expect these buses to be delayed. We apologize for this temporary inconvenience!

• 9/15 - International Dot Day, Wear Your Dots!
• 9/15 - SGES Open House / Know Your School Night 5:00-6:00
• 9/18 - SGPTO Back to School Picnic 5:00 pm at MSES
• 9/23 - Early Dismissal
• 9/29 - Bus Evacuation Drills
• 10/6 - SGPTO Meeting 6:00 pm (SGES)
• 10/12 - Indigenous Peoples’ Day - No School
• 10/13 - School Picture Day
• 10/17 - Octoberfest

Hi SGES families and caregivers,

What a great two weeks it has been! Classrooms have been buzzing with excited learning and the energy in the building is fantastic. I hope your little ones arrive home each day with a big smile knowing that their teachers are a second family away from home.

Thank you for all your support and grace during these first opening days. It takes a village to run a great school and we appreciate your partnership!

• 9/4 - No School
• 9/7 - Labor Day / No School
• 9/8 - First Day of Preschool
• 9/8 - SGPTO Meeting 6:00 pm at MSES (flyer below)
• 9/10 - Grafton SEPAC 6:30 on Zoom (flyer below)
• 9/15 - International Dot Day, Wear Your Dots!
• 9/15 - SGES Open House / Know Your School Night 5:00-6:00
• 9/18 - SGPTO Back to School Picnic 5:00 pm at MSES
• 9/23 - Early Dismissal

When on Sunnyside Terrace, please...

• Drive slowly and watch for children/neighbors
• Keep all driveways clear when idling
• Stay on the right side of the road, not in the center
• Be sure not to drive over the grass on the right turn toward the school

There is also a small parking lot at the beginning of the street (marked with the black X in the image) where some caregivers park and walk to the parent pickup line.

If you see a free space, feel free to join the walking crowd. I think I accidentally discouraged this at the beginning of the year in an attempt to prevent families from parking in the car line and exiting their vehicles while idling. Feel free to use the marked parking lot if that works for you.

I will periodically walk through the area at arrival and dismissal to keep peace with the neighbors. Thank you in advance for your support!

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Welcome to the new school year! My name is Nurse Jenny, and I am happy to serve as your school nurse. My goal is to keep all students safe and healthy so they can learn.

Please review these important health office guidelines:

• When to Stay Home: Keep your child home if they have a fever (100.0°F or higher), vomiting, or diarrhea. They must be symptom-free for 24 hours without fever reducing medicine before returning.

• Medications: All medicines must be brought to the office by an adult in their original container with a signed doctor form. Please add your signature to the medical order as well.

• Updates: Please send in updated immunization records, allergy plans, or physical exams as soon as possible.

• Contact: Reach me at 508-839-5484 ext. 2 or demeloj@grafton.k2.ma.us if your child has a new medical condition.

• Communication: If your child comes to the health office with a significant injury or is found to be ill after the nurse’s assessment, I will call the parent/guardian in a timely manner. Not all health office visits warrant a phone call home. Please communicate with me as well if your child is ill or sustained a significant injury.

Just an added note: I am always looking for clothing donations for the health office. I am particularly in need of size 5-7 girls and boys pants. Any contributions are greatly appreciated.

Let's work together for a great year!

Sincerely,

Jeanine DeMelo BSN, RN, NCSN

School Nurse

South Grafton Elementary School

Hi SGES families and caregivers,

Today was an amazing first day for kindergarteners and first graders! Here are a few snapshots from the day.

Also please have students exit the car on the driver's side. This will help keep the line running smoothly.

Thank you!

We hope your little ones sleep well tonight and we will see you tomorrow!

Hello everyone!

We hope this newsletter finds you enjoying the last days before school starts.

As we prepare to return for the 26-27 school year, we are requesting extra patience and grace during the next few weeks.

As you can imagine, there are a lot of moving parts involved in starting a new academic year and we appreciate your flexibility in advance with any road bumps we encounter (especially with late or early buses). We are doing the best we can to serve your kiddos; thank you in advance for your partnership!

• Michelle's email: henaultm@grafton.k12.ma.us

• Main office number: (508) 839-5484

Both breakfast and lunch are free for all students, but breakfast is only available by sign-up.

Please CLICK HERE to sign up for K/1 breakfast.

We are looking forward to K and 1 open door day on Tuesday, August 25th!

• Kindergarten: 9-9:30

• First grade: 10-10:30

For kindergarteners who will practice taking the bus, please be ready for it to either arrive earlier or later than your typical time.

Kindergarten families unable to participate in open door day may pick up their child's color-coded tag from the main office on Monday between 7am-3pm.

We can't wait to see you!

Please send your students with peanut free snacks the first few days of school until we know which rooms have food allergies. Thank you in advance for keeping all our little ones safe!

Dear SGES Families and Caregivers,

As we get ready to begin a new school year, I wanted to take a moment to reintroduce myself as the new principal of South Grafton Elementary School. I am looking forward to getting to know you, your children, and the amazing SGES staff this year. Strong schools are built on strong relationships, and I am excited to spend this year listening, learning, and building those connections with you.

As a parent myself, I know how important it is to feel that your child is known, cared for, and excited to come to school each day. My goal is for every child at SGES to feel exactly that. I also want families to know that my door is always open and I look forward to partnering with you.

Wishing you and your littles a fantastic end to the summer!

~Juliana Kessler Marcos

• August 10th - Classroom Placement Letters Were Shared with Families (Please Check Your Portal)
• August 19th - Kindergarten Popsicle Social (More Info to Follow)
• August 24th - Teachers Return
• August 25th - Kindergarten Bus Practice Day and Open Door Day (More Info to Follow)
• August 26th - First Day of School
• August 27th - PreK Open House